The Gospel as Story Pt. 1

I am convinced that if my life were a movie, I would be the main character.  I assume you would feel the same about yourself in your life.  For example, when I wake up, I am there.  When I go to the bathroom, I am there.  When I am praying, I am there and when I am at work, I am there.  The main character of any movie encompasses most of the time on screen and frankly, in my life I am always present (except in math class… but that is another story for another day).

But a movie doesn’t consist of merely characters but of a story, and, like a movie, our lives play out as individual stories.  You can hear it in the way we talk about the future:  my goals, my desires, my future, my schedule, my retirement etc.  It is in these ways we express how we would like the story of our lives to play out and the steps we are willing to take to meet that desired end.

Our individual stories generally last 50-70 years and experience what I like to call “overlap” with other individual stories around us.  A spouse, parent, child, and friend may make up a supporting cast for our life, though they themselves are starring in and directing their own “film” at the same time.  Enemies, neighbors, bill collectors, the weatherman, and in-laws may at times make up the villains in our stories, though in their own stories we are the antagonists.

But countries (America, England, Afghanistan etc.) all have larger stories.  Citizens of these countries, whether knowingly or unknowingly, are living as a part of this story.  Take America for example.  Our founding fathers, the revolutionary war, the civil war, the industrial revolution, the great awakenings, the two world wars, the space race, the sex revolution, capitalism and the hymns and chants dedicated to the US have all played large parts in forming our little stories.  If you have lived in America, you have been indirectly affected by its story.  There are some who have been more so affected by Americas story- Patriots, the armed forces, politicians, or other government workers.  These have allowed their worldview, hopes, and desires to be changed in light of the story of America.

But, how hard would it be for someone from Uganda, whose individual story has been made up of different wars, symbols, hymns, and traditions, to try to fit into the story of America.  To be a foreigner is a difficult thing.  Confusion would be frequent and loneliness would never be too distant.  This citizen of Uganda, in order to become an American, would have to learn how to live from the perspective of other Americans which means embracing the story of America- and all the emotions that accompany it.  And the same is true for the American moving to Thailand, or the British man moving to Egypt.

But Christians are called to be citizens of another country; a heavenly country.  And, like any other country, this country has symbols, traditions, hymns, and a story.  A grand narrative filled with woes and weals, joy and pain, laughing and weeping.  It is a story of hope and waiting, and a story of death and resurrection.  It is this story that will ultimately shape the life of a Christian.  And just like in the example of America, there are some within Christianity that allow this story to affect their lives in a greater way. Much like the Patriot has given himself to studying the writings of Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt and has found himself in that story, there are Christians who studied the writings of the Hebrew bible, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul and have allowed themselves to enter into that story.

Sadly for many Christians, the only story they see is their own “small story.”  The story of Jesus and the apostles is a story where they are mere uninvolved spectators.  No one has shown them the drama of the ages on the stage of redemption history and their part in that story.  They do not look to the restoration of all things and they do not hope in the resurrection of the dead.  Their life does not transcend their own vision or goals, or their own agendas and longings.  But Christianity beckons us to integrate our individual stories into this grand narrative.

Like the untrained actor, many of us have stayed in the dressing room of life staring at ourown broken reflection in the mirror of introspection giving heed to vast unimportant rubbish, while remaining ignorant of the Cosmic Epic that is unfolding for those who have rehearsed their lines and stepped onto the stage.  It is these people that make a difference.  They have forged their desires and hopes in the image of God and they have trained their hands for such a time as this.  They are truly helpful.

Stay tuned…  In my next post I will talk about HOW to have the story of Christianity shape your worldview and how to take your place on this stage of redemption history.

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